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  • Why you want oysters and a salt marsh between you and a hurricane

    Instead of building hard seawalls to protect communities from hurricanes, some are turning to “living shorelines.” These are made out of crushed rock or oyster shells that are placed offshore in front of a wetland. There are more than 120 of these types of habitats — including in Beaufort, North Carolina — and they have shown that they can absorb 50 percent of wave energy, which can reduce the risk of loss of human life and property from flooding. This might not work for all coastal communities, but living shorelines are cheaper than the traditional seawalls.

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  • This California Neighborhood Was Built to Survive a Wildfire. And It Worked

    In the Rancho Santa Fe neighborhood of California, one neighborhood was designed and built to protect homes from wildfires. Included in the design were certain regulations, like regulating weeds, brush, and mulch, and installing noncombustible siding and roofs. Because of climate change, the strength and frequency of wildfires have increased across the state, prompting residents, firefighting professionals, and legislators to become more resilience- and prevention-oriented.

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  • Hungry Goats Are on the Front Lines of Wildfire Prevention in Southern California

    When a Southern California rainy season fuels a boom in non-native grasses, the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Forestry Division deploys herds of goats to munch on what could turn into a wildfire hazard. The goats provide a green alternative to the use of machinery to clear brush. The four-legged crews are more agile on steep slopes and cost less than their human and mechanical substitutes. The fire department limits the use of goats to qualified vendors who must ensure that the grass eaters don't go overboard, eating even native grasses and causing new environmental problems.

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  • Life After Conflict: Healing the Environmental Wounds of War

    With the aftermath of conflict often focused on humanitarian crisis, international and local actors are also working to restore damage done to ecosystems. From Rohingya refugees volunteering to make sure endangered elephants can reach their grazing lands – and not destroy the refugee camps – to Lebonese seed banks being recreated to restore biodiversity, the international stage is paying closer attention to the environmental tolls of conflict.

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  • ‘If we don't burn it, nature will': Georgia blazes old fears, leads nation in prescribed fire

    Prescribed fire is a way to protect forest ecosystems by starting fires in a controlled and sustainable way. The practice limits out of control forest fires and promotes the growth of important species. In Georgia, a leader of prescribed fire in the Southeast and the country, successful fire management is hoping to tip forest services nationally in favor of prescribed burn treatment and away from mostly focusing on fire suppression.

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  • Wildfire escape routes? There's (almost) an app for that.

    Scientists and engineers in Colorado are developing an app that can help firefighters determine the safest routes to safety during wildfires. The app, currently in development, was created with data from another trail and hike tracking app and applied to analyze how long it would take a firefighter – given their unique equipment and uniforms – to escape wildfire.

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  • How the Mental Health Community Is Bracing for the Impact of Climate Change

    Climate change is impacting not just the environment but the way in which humans are able to exist within the altered landscape. As ecosystems shift, storms worsen and loss of homes continues to rise, the mental health industry is looking towards changing traditional practices in order to account for clients presenting with "eco-anxiety and climate grief."

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  • To Control Forest Fires, Western States Light More of Their Own

    Prescribed burns help prevent the devastating impact of uncontrolled forest fires in Western states. In states like Colorado, the US Forest Service, local governments, and nonprofits, are working to improve forest habitat and protect communities from wildfires by increasing the acreage of forest exposed to controlled fires. After years of policy that aimed to reduce fires, agencies are now working to restore ecological balance and prevent future natural disasters.

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  • Cañada Cove COPEs with disaster planning

    San Mateo County’s coastside residents have created their own, volunteer-based disaster response system. Considering that they make up just 5% of the county’s population, and are just as much at risk for natural disasters like wildfires, flooding, and landslides, they recognized that they had to be proactive in the event that help and resources would be limited in such an event. The Cañada Cove Community Association developed a localized plan for disaster preparedness, including manuals, communication systems, and a database of residents that provides information on the specialized needs of citizens.

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  • The Town That Extended ‘Smart Growth' to Its Water

    Haunted by a 1962 drought in the town of Westminster, Colorado, the city's planners now incorporate water data in their planning processes to ensure that they never face the same sourcing issues again. By breaking down the silos between its water management and planning departments, the town has figured out how to manage its finite water resources, even in the face of a ballooning population. Now, other towns are following suit.

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